Steve Harvey is basically the King of daytime TV, but when it comes to his so-called courtroom scenes, many are asking questions about whether he’s an actual legal judge for real. We’ve got the tea.
From when Steve became a judge – if he ever did – to fans questioning his authenticity, clips of the American television presenter are always circling the net. His motivational speeches have us transfixed, while his comedy clips are hilarious.
“Definitely hilarious.” Those are the words viewers use to describe his show, Judge Steve Harvey, but it doesn’t come without questions. So, is Steve an actual judge in real life or not?!
Is Steve Harvey an actual judge in real life?
No, Steve isn’t an actual judge in real life, nor does he work in the legal sector. He’s simply a reality TV court judge. In order to preside over a courtroom in the real world, a person has to earn a bachelor’s degree.
He rules on various cases in his courtroom based on some good old-fashioned advice. The people and cases on Judge Steve Harvey are real, and so are the settlements, but litigants are also paid for their appearance on the show.
In his unscripted courtroom comedy series, he judges people’s real-life conflicts that range from family disputes to sour friendships and everything in between. He uses his own real-life experiences to give wisdom to the defendants.
Fans react to Judge Steve Harvey’s show
Viewers have been questioning whether the cases or Steve’s judging experience are real since it first aired on ABC. Despite Steve not being a real judge, many do favor his life advice as a wise 66-year-old.
One fan wrote: “Since when is Steve Harvey a judge lmao.”
Another penned on Twitter: “When did Steve Harvey become a judge?”
“Somehow, I don’t think Steve Harvey is a real judge. ABC will give him any show….and honestly, it’s always entertaining,” reacted a fellow viewer of his new series.
I don’t know if the cases on #JudgeSteveHarvey are real but they are definitely hilarious! 😂
— Olayemi (@yessyO_) May 11, 2023
Steve never trained to become a judge
Steve may have some viewers fooled but he never actually became a judge. Shortly after high school, he attended Kent State University and West Virginia University and is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity but never graduated.
Before he got into comedy, Steve worked many different trades: as a boxer, an autoworker, an insurance salesman, a carpet cleaner, and a mail carrier. He now has a catchphrase — “and that’s the way I see it” — said after each ruling.
He had the idea of hosting a court show for at least 10 years and ABC executives quickly embraced the idea when he brought it up during a Zoom meeting in 2020. As per Findlaw, he said:
It’s a different kind of court -of common sense. I have no law degree. I technically have no business being a judge.
When talking about Steve’s judging show, ABC reportedly states: “Steve plays by his own rules, basing his courtroom on his own life experiences and some good old common sense.”
WATCH JUDGE STEVE HARVEY ON ABC EVERY TUESDAY AT 9 PM
